Bandi Amir Lake, Afghanistan.

It is the collective name for six lakes in the mountains of Bamiyan State at an altitude of 3,000 meters: Bande Gramaan (Lake of Slaves), Bande Haibat (Lake of Fear), Bande Banir (Lake of Cheese), Bande Pudina (Lake of Hakka), Bande Zulfikar, (Lake of Ali's Sword), and Bande Kambar (Lake of Horsemen's (Lake of the Sword of Ali), but since Bande Kambar has now dried up, the name actually refers to the five lakes.

Bandi Amir Lake, nicknamed the "Pearl of the Desert" for its beauty and clarity, was designated Afghanistan's first national park in 2009, and a system to protect the lake is gradually being put in place.

However, Afghanistan is said to have few tourists because of its poor security and frequent terrorist attacks. Will the day ever come when security in the country improves and anyone can visit the Pearl of the Desert?

Learn more about the current situation in Afghanistan → "Afghanistan: The Resurgence and Current Status of the Taliban"

(Photo:US Embassy Kabul Afghanistan/Flickr[.CC BY-ND 2.0])